


What Number?

by TriplePirouette



Series: The Pain Scale [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: AU, Dry Humping, F/M, Steggy Bingo Bash 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:08:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28683819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TriplePirouette/pseuds/TriplePirouette
Summary: Written for the Steggy Bingo Bash prompt “Humping.” CA:TFA AU “Steve nodded and followed Peggy down the hall of the base, past offices and control rooms, past supply closets and secluded hallways. He knew, without having to be told, what he was needed for; he could tell by the way she was breathing.”
Relationships: Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Series: The Pain Scale [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2104047
Comments: 12
Kudos: 62
Collections: Steggy Bingo Bash





	What Number?

**Author's Note:**

> Mature, bordering on explicit but with FEELS. The feels snuck in there. I’m really surprised at the turn this took, but I actually really, really like it, so I hope you do, too.

Present

“Captain, a moment?”

Steve nodded and followed Peggy down the hall of the base, past offices and control rooms, past supply closets and secluded hallways. He knew, without having to be told, what he was needed for; he could tell by the way she was breathing.

~*~

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_“What do you mean you don’t know where she is?” Steve demanded of Morita as he let him out of the Hydra cell._

_The man shook his head. “They separated us right away. It’s been, what, eight hours?”_

_“Sixteen,” Steve spat out, looking around the holding cells. They were empty. All empty._

_Dum Dum looked dour, his eyes and gun trained on the doors. “It means they’re upstairs. We didn’t really plan for actually fighting our way in or out.”_

_“What do you mean by that?” Morita asked, taking the extra pistol from Dum Dum’s hip._

_“Get in, get you both, get out. That was the plan.” Steve sighed heavily. “I have to go after her.”_

_“We’re not letting you—”_

_“Get out, I’ll be right behind you.”_

_~*~_

* * *

Present

Steve opened the door to the small, unused room at the end of the hall. It was an empty office, one that had been empty as long as he’d been at the base.

They didn’t need much, an unoccupied room where people wouldn’t come looking for them was enough.

Peggy passed by him and he could feel her positively humming with pent up energy as she moved into the room. He swiftly followed and closed the door behind them, twisting the lock for good measure.

“How bad?” he asked softly as she kept her back turned to him.

She didn’t answer for a moment, instead moved until she was at the wall. She let her hands press to the cool cinderblocks and she sighed with the feeling of it. “Eight.”

He stayed where he was by the door. Eight was high, but she’d made it to ten out of ten once or twice, too. Usually, she was only at a three or four by the time she gave in and asked for his help. He knew she’d been in meetings all morning, with no chance to slip away, which would explain why she let it get so bad.

No one else knew. Not a single soul.

“What do you want me to do?” He asked quietly, her back still to him.

“I don’t know,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I feel like I might explode either way.”

_~*~_

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_It was easier to slip around the small base by himself. The science outpost had only a handful of staff and a small compliment of guards. It had been why their rescue attempt had been small and simple: sneak in, sneak out._

_He stuck to the shadows and corners when he could, quieted guards with punches and chokeholds when he couldn’t._

_He found her in a laboratory observation room on the third floor, writhing, nearly naked, and crying while strapped to a gurney. He stopped thinking and moved out of instinct, taking out two men in white coats as he moved to her. He didn’t stop to check if he’d managed to kill or just maim them, nor did he care. He saw red as he made his way to her, undoing the straps on her wrists and ankles._

_She flinched every time his gloves touched her skin, a moan left her lips when he lifted her in his arms. Peggy held tight to him, curling small in his arms as he moved them swiftly out the door and into the corridor._

_“You’ll be okay, Peggy,” he whispered, running down a flight of stairs. “You’re going to be okay.”_

~*~

* * *

Present

He watched as she pressed her face into the cool cinderblocks, as she breathed a sigh of relief.

Cold helped. It seemed to numb the feeling, like an icepack on bruised skin.

She turned to him, pressing her whole body back against the wall, but it wasn’t enough. He watched, silent, as she pulled her jacket off, leaving her in the drab brown shirt of her uniform. Her eyes fluttered closed as she pressed back against the wall.

He swallowed, hard. The image of her pressed against the wall, keyed up and waiting, red lips parted as she sighed, was a lot to take in.

Peggy frowned, knowing that she was torturing him, that this was hard on him for far different reasons. “I’m sorry, my darling,” she whispered.

He took slow, measured steps forward. “What can I do?”

She opened her eyes slowly, licked her lips. “Take off your shirt.”

~*~

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_He couldn’t help but feel urgency at each moan, each little sigh that escaped her lips as he carried her into the forest surrounding the small base. He wanted to stop, to check her over, but he needed to put as much distance between them and Hydra as he could._

_“I’m sorry, Peggy, we need to move,” he apologized, his voice strained as he pushed as hard as he could._

_She whispered into his chest, not loud enough for him to hear, but the nod was enough consent for him to focus on moving._

_He didn’t know what had happened to Dum Dum or Morita, and at this point he didn’t much care. Dum Dum knew where to go, and he’d find them later._

_Peggy was all that mattered._

_He stopped only when he was sure no human could have followed him, when he was sure there was enough distance between them and the base to breathe. He laid her down gently, panting, but she wouldn’t let go._

_He whispered her name as he gently untangled her hands from his neck, laying her in the soft mulch of the forest floor. Her eyes squeezed shut tight, her body arching in pain. She reached out for him and he couldn’t deny her. He fell to his knees, pulling his gloves off, taking one of her hands in his._

_“What did they do to you?” he asked, smoothing his hand over her face, pushing back her wild hair, checking for any signs of injury. He’d feel embarrassed about her state of undress later, now all he knew was that she was only in her slip, and not a single inch of skin that he could see, that he could touch as he checked her over, looked injured._

_Her body arched against his hand, her fingers gripping his tight, as she took a deep, shuddering breath. She opened her eyes, surprise and fear and relief etched on her face._

_“Don’t stop,” she begged, hands gripping at his arm. “Please don’t stop.”_

_~*~_

* * *

Present

He pulled off his tie and started undoing his buttons, the look on her face hungry and wild. “How long?”

She reached out her hands, pulling his shirt tails from his pants as he neared. “Too long. Hours,” she whispered, pulling his undershirt up next.

He slipped his shirts off quickly, not trying to hide his own desire as she ran her hands over his chest. He let her touch her fill, long minutes of her fingers roaming his skin, his hands sliding down her arms, holding her to him. “And now?” he asked gently, holding he hand over his heart.

“Seven,” she whispered, nearly shivering. “Better, but still bad.”

He took her hand in his, bringing her knuckles to his lips. He kissed them gently, one at a time, before moving closer and wrapping her arms over his shoulders. “Let me help,” he moved his hands to the small buttons of her shirt, letting his nose ghost over hears, not moving to undo the closures until she nodded.

Slowly, he undid the first button.

~*~

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_He was as confused as she was relieved. “Don’t stop what?”_

_“Touch me,” she begged, hands gripping at his arm. “It’s better when you touch me.”_

_He didn’t think, just moved his hands to roam her arms, firmly pressing the length, shoulder to wrist, them moving down to repeat the same on her thighs and down her legs. She shuddered with relief, her muscles releasing some of the tension that had built up. His hands moved back up, sliding over her shoulders and cradling her face. “Peggy,” he whispered desperately, “what did they do, where are you hurt?”_

_She shook her head, tears pooling in her eyes as she pressed her hands over his and up his arms. “I don’t know. I don’t know what they did to me, but every inch of me feels like it’s on fire unless you’re touching me.”_

_Without another seconds thought Steve pulled a hand away ripped his helmet from his head, moving down and pressing his bare cheek to hers. He lifted her close as he sat on the ground, pulling her into his arms as he let his hands roam over her skin._

_Her sigh of relief sent a pang of pain through him, but at least there was something he could do._

_“Skin,” she whispered, her head nuzzling at his neck, “More skin.”_

_~*~_

* * *

Present

He opened her shirt and gently slid it down her arms, making sure to let his hands glide over her skin as he did so. She wrapped her arms around him, throwing her head back as his lips started to move over the flesh of her neck.

She sighed, the fire turning to a low buzz as he pressed his bare chest to hers, the only barrier between them the thin bra she still wore.

She pressed into him, holding him tight as his lips slipped over her collarbone, moving from one side to the other. She ran her fingers though his hair, biting at his ear lobe.

His hands gripped her hips, then slipped up her side, sliding behind her, one cradling her head against the rough cement, the other wrapping around her waist, pressing them tight from hips to shoulders. She moaned, pushing her hips against his.

“More, my darling.” She ran her nails down his back, “More.”

~*~

* * *

_Two Months Ago_

_He looked at her as he twined their hands together. “Is this… ok?”_

_Peggy smiled, his sincerity so endearing to her. It was dark, and they were well hidden from any prying eyes on base. “Yes. You may hold my hand any time you like, my darling.”_

_He chuckled, looking away as he pulled her down the path a little farther. “I just, I want to do this right, you know?” He cleared his throat, glancing at her then back to the path. “I really… I really think this could be something, Peggy.”_

_She leaned closer to him, wrapping her free arm around his bicep. “I do, too, Steve.”_

_He looked down at her, his eyes warm and soft. He paused, gently kissing her forehead before moving on. They walked quietly for a moment before he continued. “Which is why I want to do this right. I don’t want… We don’t know…” His words faltered._

_Peggy stopped them, turning to face him, her head tilted gently. “What’s giving you pause?”_

_He moved his hand up to cup her face, letting his thumb roll over her cheek bone. “They sent Private Lorraine home today for fraternizing with Hodge.” He shook his head. “She’s home, and he’s still here.”_

_Peggy leaned into his touch, “We all know the rules, and what might happen if we break them.”_

_“You’re too important to this war,” he started passionately, “and what you do is too important to you. I don’t want to be the reason that—”_

_“If anything happens, I will be the reason, not you.” She gently took his hand from her face and held it in hers. “I’m a big girl, Steve.”_

_“Well,” he pressed his lips together, but let the matter fall, taking her in his arms. “I’m not… As much as I… I won’t…”_

_Peggy chuckled, leaning back to look up at him. “Still that skinny boy who can’t talk to women?” she teased._

_He laughed, letting his forehead fall to hers. “Yeah, I guess so.”_

_“Just say it, Steve.”_

_It took him a moment, and a deep breath, but the words came out confident. “When I make love to you, Peggy, it’s not going to be up against a wall or behind a medical tent or in some goddamn mudhole where we’re both wondering if we’ll be caught any second. It’s going to be on a soft bed with nice sheets so I can take my time and kiss every inch of you, ok? I’m not… you deserve better than some tryst in the woods, ok? You deserve better and I’m going to make sure you get better.”_

_~*~_

* * *

Present

His warm breath ran over her as he kissed his way up her neck before taking her mouth. He was hard against her hip and his heart was pounding in her chest. Peggy couldn’t ignore the pang of guilt that hit her every time, couldn’t make the thoughts go away that he wanted better than this for her, that they both wanted more than lurid trysts in darkened rooms.

His lips left hers and he kissed up her cheek. She tried to bury her head in his neck, but they’d done this too often now for him to not sense the change in her mood.

He pulled back, just enough, and pressed their foreheads together. “Anything you need, Peggy. Always. You know that.” He kissed her, quick and hard.

She can’t help the pain in her voice. “You didn’t want this.”

“I want you.” He shifted his hand to run a thumb over her cheek, kissing her gently once again. “I want you and I love you and I won’t let you suffer, no matter what that means.”

This time he let her bury her face under his chin. “I love you too, Steve, she whispered, her lips sliding over the soft skin at the crease of his neck and shoulder.

He held her and didn’t move for long, quiet moments where there was only their breathing in the quiet room. But soon it became all too apparent that her muscles were still corded tight under his fingers, that she wasn’t relaxing any further, that despite all they’d done so far, she still hadn’t come down from this episode. He dropped a soft kiss in her hair, let his hand gently roam her back. “What number?”

“Five.”

~*~

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_Steve almost missed the sound of the approaching footsteps he was so wrapped up in holding her close, in trying to gauge her discomfort._

_She clutched at him tight even as he tried to press her from his lap. “Please,” he whispered, “Someone’s coming.”_

_That finally penetrated her senses and she let him put her down, her skin setting aflame again._

_He stood, quickly unzipping the jacket from his suit and laying it over her, trying to protect her and her modesty from whoever was coming._

_He lifted his shield and crouched low, his back to her as she tried to hide her whimpers._

_“Rogers!” The harsh whisper came from the forest. “That you?”_

_Morita and Dum Dum emerged slowly a dozen yards ahead of him. He dropped his shield to his side as he stood. “We need to get out of here.”_

_“You get Peggy?” Morita asked, concerned._

_Steve nodded, stepping to the side and letting them see her, curled in a ball, covered by his jacket. “We need to go.”_

_~*~_

* * *

Present

“That’s still too high,” Steve told her gently, kissing her shoulder. “Let me help you.”

She lifted her head, looking deep in his eyes, her sorrow and starting to lose the battle to the burning pain running through every nerve in her body.

“Please,” Steve pleaded. “I love you, let me help you.”

~*~

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_It hadn’t been easy, but he’d managed to get the rest of the Commandos to leave them alone in a tent. It only proved to show how much they all cared for Peggy that they were so resistant to leaving her in obvious pain, but they knew she was in no better hands than Steve’s._

_Dernier had offered his spare set of clothes from his pack, but Peggy felt like her skin was on fire and refused to put them on. She laid, curled in a ball, on top of her sleeping bag when Steve finally returned, his jacket clutched in her hands._

_He made his way to the ground, taking her in his arms immediately. Her sigh of relief weighed heavy on him as he held her tight, letting his hands run over every inch of exposed skin he could find._

_Her skin was hot, like fire, and her body responded to his touch in ways he’d only ever imagined in his dreams._

_“Peggy…” he whispered, unsure of what he was going to say next._

_“I feel like every cell is filled with lightning,” she started hesitantly, burying her head under his chin, her lips moving against his neck. “Sharp, painful needles over every inch of me. But when you touch me,” she sighed, trying to press closer to him, “when your skin touches mine, it’s like you’re putting out the flame but also…”_

_She stopped, swallowing hard. “But then it’s like a different kind of need,” her voice dropped low, dark. “When you touch me it changes to desire, like I’ve never wanted a man before and it’s…”_

_She stopped, her body shivering as she held back the words. “What, Peg?”_

_“It’s painful in a different way, like if you don’t touch me more, if I can’t feel all of you on me, it aches, like torn muscles and broken bones.”_

_The description, and the pain in her voice when she said it, broke his heart. He pulled away enough to look down at her. “How much does it hurt, Peg?”_

_Her eyes were dark and far away. “When you found me, I’ve never felt pain like that in my entire life. I couldn’t even imagine feeling that much pain.”_

_He leaned forward, giving her more contact and hating himself from even depriving her of it for a second. “And in the clearing?”_

_“Ten out of ten,” she whispered. “Like I was feeling electrical shocks all over.”_

_He kissed her cheek, pressing them tight together. “Now?”_

_“Nine. Like fire.” Her voice trembled with effort._

_Without another thought he pulled away and began to strip his clothes off._

_~*~_

* * *

Present

Peggy nodded, moving to kiss him gently. She pressed her head back into his hand, and let him take the lead. This had happened too many times since they’d made it back from that Hydra base. She’d felt the need and the pain swell within her too often, and she knew that she needed to say something to someone who could potentially do something about it. Stark, or even Samberly.

But she knew what made her better, she knew what calmed the pain and the need that rose inside of her like a tsunami: Steve. His touch soothed her, lulled her, and his love supported her.

She didn’t know if she could bear poking and prodding from scientists as they tried to figure out what had been done to her, her broken memories of anything but pain barely any help. But Steve could take care of her, relieve her, fix her, at least for a while. Right now, that was enough.

That was all she needed.

His kisses became more insistent, and she let his love and passion pull her from the sadness that had overtaken her.

~*~

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_Left in nothing more than his boxers, he spread out next to her, gathering her in his arms and pressing them together nose to toe. She sighed, throwing her head back as she felt a tidal wave of relief flood through her body._

_“Six,” she whispered against him, kissing him gently. “Good lord it calmed so fast.”_

_He held her close, letting his hands roam over every inch of skin he could find. “This is ok?” he asked, his voice wavering._

_Peggy nodded against him, swallowing hard. “Yes, please, I know... I know we said but I…” She shivered in his arms and pressed against him._

_He tried to pull his hips back, to hide his growing hardness from her, ashamed that while she was in pain his body was reacting without his consent._

_She moved her hand, grabbing his ass and holding his hips tight against her. “No, Steve. Please.”_

_Peggy looked up at him, her eyes clouded with a different kind of need. “Peggy, I can’t…” He wouldn’t take her while she was compromised, no matter what she said, no matter what his body wanted. She wasn’t in her right mind, blinded by pain and need._

_“Just…” Her words fell away as she kissed him and slipped her leg over his hip, lining up his harness with her hot center. She pulled her leg tight around him, grinding against him. The moan she let out against his lips was lurid and full of relief. “Five. I’m at a—I need—”_

_Steve watched her face as she ground her hips against him, moaning with pleasure. Her face tightened, a frown crossing her features as she hit another plateau. He couldn’t deny her any longer. He moved his hand to her hip, grinding against her as he kissed her neck._

_“Four!”_

_~*~_

* * *

Present

He reached one hand down, hiking her knee up in his hand, bending so she could hook it over his hip as his hand traveled up her thigh. Her lack of stockings was because she had none left and there were none to be found on the front, but it had the side effect of leaving her legs bare to his touch. He pressed her skirt up, bunching it at her hips as he finally lifted her from her feet.

She wrapped her ankles together at his low back as he pressed her into the cinderblock wall, the cool roughness heaven against her skin as Steve’s touch lit a different fire in her.

He ground his hips against hers, right where she needed to feel him the most.

Her groan was guttural, and it only spurred him on more.

~*~

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_He rolled over, moving her under him, covering every bit of skin with his own. He gently moved her other leg over his hip, gliding his hand over her thigh. “Ok?”_

_“Yes, oh god, yes, Steve,” she whispered against his chest, rubbing her face against him like a cat. “More, please,” she begged, lost in the throes of whatever was overtaking her, her hands gripping at his shoulders like he might disappear if she wasn’t holding on tight enough._

_“Fuck,” he muttered to himself, unable to stop his hips from rutting into hers, unable to keep himself from her. It wasn’t what he had wanted for her, but there was no way he could watch her be in pain for one more moment._

_He didn’t understand it, couldn’t begin to fathom what they had done to her that his touch was the only thing that quelled her pain and her need, but he wouldn’t make her suffer._

_He bent lower, finding her mouth with his, kissing her, tasting her, loving her as his hips worked against hers, the barriers between them the last sense of propriety left, the last measure of safety between them._

_~*~_

* * *

Present

Her chest heaved as she panted, her breasts pressing into his chest with each thrust of his hips against hers. Peggy let out tiny little moans with each movement that built up the desire in him further. “Where are you, Peg?” He whispered in her ear, breathless himself. He licked his lips and sucked on her earlobe. “Where?”

“Two, but…” She moaned deeply as he took her earlobe between his teeth again, sucking lightly. “Close. I’m… close.”

He dropped his head to the crease in her neck. She may have been close but so was he, and his pants weren’t nearly as forgiving as her skirt. He grabbed her leg and gently unwrapped it from his hip. “Down,” he murmured, setting one of her feet back on the floor, keeping the other high in his hand as she moaned her displeasure. He turned sideways just a little, settling his thigh between her legs which made her gasp as it pressed against her sensitive flesh. “Come on, Peg,” he whispered in her ear, pushing his leg against her hot center, palming her breast through her bra with his other hand, “Come for me, Peggy.”

~*~

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_It was frantic, the way they pressed against one another, the way their hips ground together, the roughness of the fabric between them and the heat of the skin beyond. Her wetness, slowly drenching though both layers until he could feel it._

_That was what left him lost, the feeling of her dampness against his skin as she came undone beneath him, her soft moans between gasps for air, her nails digging in to the muscles in his back. He came in his shorts like a teenager, biting his lip to keep from crying out as she clung to him._

_~*~_

* * *

Present

It didn’t take her long as he pinched her nipple through the cloth to find her rhythm against his powerful thigh, to find the precipice as he licked and nipped along her collarbone, to find her release as he whispered his love against her skin.

He held her gently as she panted, coming down from the high. He slowly set her other foot on the floor, and reached down, lifting her shirt from the ground and draping it over her shoulders to keep her warm.

He nudged her with his nose, kissing her cheek gently. “Better?”

“Much.”

~*~

* * *

_A Month Ago_

_He shook, trying to hold himself up above her. The effort seemed too much for even a super soldier after what had just happened. “Peggy?” He whispered, shifting, trying to get her to look at him._

_She was still clinging tight to him, her arms unwilling to move as she took slow, shaky breaths._

_“Peggy, are you alright?” When she didn’t answer him again, he began to panic, thinking he’d gone too far or somehow hurt her. He pushed her one leg down and rolled them to the side so he could lean back and check her over properly. “Peggy, please—”_

_“Zero,” she whispered in wonderment. “It’s… the pain is… zero.” He tried to untangle her, to look in her eyes, but she gripped him tighter, panicking in his arms. “Please don’t!”_

_Steve froze, his own panic starting to rise again. “Don’t what?”_

_“Please don’t make me let go yet,” she whispered, small and lost, “I don’t know what I’ll do if the pain comes back.”_

_Steve took a deep breath and gathered her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead._

_~*~_

* * *

Present

“Zero?” Steve asked as he kissed her cheek again.

Peggy nodded. “Thankfully.” She sighed, letting her head fall to his chest. “We can’t keep this up.”

Steve cradled her head in his hand. “Someone very wise once told me we do what we must.”

Peggy chuckled against his chest. “If I remember correctly, that someone was me, and I am very clearly not all that wise at the moment.”

Steve stepped away from her embrace, lifting her head and smoothing back a curl. “We do what we have to right now. When you’re ready we’ll figure this out. Until then, I’m not letting you suffer if there’s a way I can fix it.”

She pressed her lips to his softly, the urgency they once felt gone, only love and contentment left. “I love you so dearly, my darling.” She smiled up at him, laughing a bit as she tried to wipe her signature red from around hips lips.

He stilled her hand with his own, kissing her knuckles. “Come on, get dressed. They’ll be looking for at least one of us soon.”

Peggy shook her head, not moving. “I believe you’re still quite unsatisfied.”

Steve smiled at her. “I can take care of that. You need to show your face before Phillips comes looking for you.”

She frowned. “This isn’t fair of me to ask all this of you and then leave you…” she gestured toward the bulge in the front of his pants even as he started buttoning her shirt for her.

He kissed her quickly, silencing her objections. “Fair has nothing to do with it. Now get dressed.”

They were silent as they worked in tandem, tucking and buttoning and Peggy wiping away the red on Steve’s lips and his strong, certain hands curling her hair back to shape around his fingers. When they looked barely mussed, Peggy moved to leave first.

“Peg.”

Steve’s voice stopped her with her hand on the doorknob. “Yes?” She turned, shoulders squared, eyes gentle, every bit the Agent he’d so fallen in love with.

“I’m still going to get you that bed with the nice sheets.”

She smiled, “I know you will, my love.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I DO have a how and why for all of this plotted out, but it didn’t really fit in this fic. (To be honest, I’m surprised ANY plot fit into this fic about freaking HUMPING) I’m going to keep it to myself for the moment, I’m hoping to make a second part and fill another Bingo Box! 


End file.
